Stories from 24 October 2007
Lebanon: Politics and Soccer
“The Lebanese treat their politics like other countries treat soccer. ‘All the props are there. You have team flags with various colors, you have buses that shuttle the fans, you have the bitterness and ecstasy that follow defeat and victory, and you always blame the referee,'” writesBeirut Spring quoting a...
Lebanon: Wine
“The wine industry of Lebanon: $25 million a year, of which $10 million are from exports. 7 million bottles a year, of which 3 million are exported,” reports Dr. Rami Zurayk.
Lebanon: On the pre-election meetings
“So Christian “leaders” can do little at this stage. Pace any past pretence at grandeur, they forget that their past divisions have reduced them to bit players in a widening sectarian fight …” says Jeha about the meetings taking place between Christian leaders to prepare for the presidential elections.
Lebanon: On how to become a political leader
Cold Desert dissects some political prototypes. In this post, he explains how to become a political leader: “there is a single prerequisite; you need to be the son of a political leader. This political leader should have a very strong public base who would follow him blindly.”
Japan: Rape at Iwakuni
Turner at Keeping Pace in Japan comments on the alleged rape of a 19-year-old Japanese girl by four US Marines on the first night of the Sake Matsuri [Festival] in Higashi Hiroshima.
Caucasus: LGBT Report
After mentioning it in a previous post, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts the text of a new report on the situation of LGBT people in Georgia and Azerbaijan. The blogger says that the comprehensive study is a “historic event” as it was conducted locally by a fact-finding mission to the South...
Dubai: Xmas Already?
Christmas is coming early to Dubai this year, notes Seabee in this post.
Bahrain: Internet for Arab Activists
Bahraini blogger Esra'a cross-posts an article which argues that the Internet has become a global village for Arab activists.
Egypt: Red Card for Professionals
Egyptian Mostafa Hussein discusses the Red Card – available to professionals in his country. “In Egypt, we already have a system called the ‘Red card’ for expelling highly skilled professionals. Ensuring that the country will keep the finest of its minds away,” he notes.
Egypt: The Definitive Photograph
The Skeptic from Egypt links to a photograph from another blog, which he describes as The Definitive Photograph.
Russia: Election Miscellanea
TOL's Elections in Russia writes about the voting plans of Russia's homeless; campaigning for Putin through vodka; a group of young people opposing Putin; and a group of artists supporting him.
Ukraine: “Flit” Punk Rock Band
Ukrainian Musical Matters writes about “a relatively young new Ukrainian punk rock band, Flit (pronounced ‘fleet’).”
Ukraine: Post-Election Politics, Etc.
Lots of new posts at Orange Ukraine, including this overview of the post-election developments and other issues.
Ukraine: Two Paintings
Olechko posts her painting of an apartment block in Lutsk, which, like most apartment blocks in this part of the world, initially looked gray, but then she began painting it, and it turned out that it's not gray, but pink!
Ukraine: Poroshenko on Tymoshenko
Foreign Notes‘ 1,000th post deals, among other things, with Petro Poroshenko's thoughts on whether Yulia Tymoshenko will become Ukraine's prime minister after all.
Russia: Dubrovka Investigation
David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates an article on the investigation into the 2002 Dubrovka hostage crisis in Moscow.
Armenia: Shopping Tales
Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) Dominic in Armenia recounts a few humorous stories about shopping in Armenia. The tales depict life in the country very well indeed.
Kuwait: Lost Between Cinemas and Restaurants
Between banned and censored movies in cinemas to restaurants which have a lot to make up for in terms of service, Kuwaiti bloggers were at wits' end last week. Abdullatif AlOmar brings us the latest from the Kuwaiti blogosphere in this post.
Tunisia: Solidarity Visit Blocked
Mohammed Abbou, the legendary dissident who sewed his own mouth shut in jail to protest censorship, is once again harassed by the Tunisian authorities, who have banned him from travelling to Egypt to attend the trial of Egyptian editor Ibrahim Issa, reports ..Or Does it Explode?
Algeria: Journalists Under Attack
..Or Does it Explode? – a site dedicated to the struggle for Civil Rights in the Middle East – points to the wave of recent attacks on journalists in Algeria.
Cuba: US to Encourage Democratic Change?
“US President George W Bush will today announce a set of initiatives designed to encourage democratic change in Cuba,” writes Child of the Revolution – but he wonders if the measures will make any difference.
